Big Cat Facts - Animal Facts Encyclopedia Animal Facts Encyclopedia Animals A to Z big cat facts The big cats are the four members of the genus panthera. These cats are unique not only in sheer size, but also in their ability to roar. A specialized larynx and a unique part of the throat called a hyoid apparatus allows for the production of a true, deep roaring sound. While the cougar, cheetah, snow leopard and clouded leopard are also fairly large, and occasionally included in this group, their larynx creates more of a combination hiss/snarl sound without the bass tone of a real roar. The snow leopard has been included in the genus panthera since 2008, but there is some controversy over moving them from their own genus, uncia, and many biologists still insist the snow leopard is a separate genus. Just as scientific folks debated for years whether a panda was a bear or not, this discussion may have nine lives as well. Other differences in the genus panthera involve skull and eye-socket structure and variations in life-cycle and reproductive system. - Big Cat Facts check out our youtube channel!

the tiger Native to Asia, the tiger is the largest of these four felids, with the lion a close second. Although lions can, occasionally, be taller or longer than tigers, average overall height, weight, and sheer mass rest firmly in the tigers favor, particularly the Siberian tiger, which can be 800 pounds and 11ft long! Tigers are responsible for more human deaths than any other big cat. The Bengal tiger has been found to be particularly lethal, probably because there is so much human encroachment on their home range. There are several subspecies of tiger, all of which are endangered - some critically. The leopard and the jaguar Leopards and jaguars look alot alike, but they live half a world apart. The smallest of the big cats, leopards are native to Africa and Asia. At 90 to 120 pounds, they are significantly smaller than lions and tigers, and occasionally even fall prey to them. The jaguar is native to South and Central America, and once roamed the southern United States. Jaguars are quite a bit larger than leopards, averaging 200 to 265 pounds.

Both these big cats are buff to yellow to orange in color with black or dark brown spots in a classic "rosette" pattern. Black individuals occur fairly regularly, the result of a melanism gene. The spots can still be seen on the black fur as subtle shading. Both black leopards and black jaguars are popularly called black panthers, although they are not a separate species, and black individuals will occur side by side in the same litter with normally colored cubs. Leopards and jaguars are difficult to tell apart if the location is unknown The jaguar is generally a stouter animal with a proportionately rounder head, fuller cheeks and smaller eyes and ears. If you study photos of the two animals with these differences in mind, you can learn to identify them relatively easily. It is sometimes stated that the leopard does not have a dot at the center of the circles of dots on its coat known as "rosettes", or that the center of the rosette on the jaguar is darker than the body color, but both jaguars and leopards vary greatly in this regard, and coat pattern is not a reliable means of identification.

This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields (labelled below in red) have been filled in Vote Here for Your Favorite Animal! Pick Your Fav! the lion Native to Africa and a tiny portion of India, the lion is the most unique big cat. Adult male lions display a full ruff of shaggy hair around their heads known as a mane. This is not just special for a big cat, it is very rare among any mammals to have such obvious physical distinction between the sexes. The lion is also a very social cat with an interesting and complicated pride dynamic that in many ways is much more canine than feline. Pride members hunt together like a pack of wolves, and all share in the raising of cubs. Finally, the King of Beasts also has the longest larynx - and thus the loudest roar of the four roaring "big cats" - naturally! a few more big cat facts Siberian tree-hugger The "big cats" are the tiger, lion, leopard and jaguar - all members of the genus Panthera. In 2008 the snow leopard was moved into the panthera genus but the move is controversial. The snow leopard does not have the ability to roar.

All four of the roaring big cats are endangered species. These four massive felines are the only cats who can truly roar. They can roar thanks to a specially designed larynx (a part of the throat). The African lion has the longest larynx - and the loudest roar. So Much More to Explore... What do you think of these fabulous animals? Leave a comment in the box below. Tigers: big cats, loudest roar, lion panthera leo which cat has the loudest roar? which is stronger tiger or lion? which is the most aggressive great cat? thanks ANSWER: Hello there Suyash, thanks for your questions. Regarding for your 2 questions, well, i have already answered them in the past, but since you ask, i will repeat my answers. The big cat which has the loudest roar is arguably the Lion, Panthera Leo. Their roars can be heard from 5 miles away. The tiger is close behind, and their roars can be heard from 2 miles away. Given the difference in habitat that they live in it is hard to measure their exact loudness of Roar.

As you might know, Sound waves travel faster in Open spaces like the plains and slower in closed spaces like the jungle, hence the lions are generally regarded to have louder roar. Regarding your 2nd question, The tiger is stronger than a Lion, as any Felines or wildlife experts will tell you. Because of the weight advantage the tiger has over a lion, the tiger seems to be stronger. Even pound for pound, the Tiger is stronger than a Lion, but this strength advantage at equal size is just so slight that some might say they are pound for pound equal in strength. The forearms of the tiger is also stronger than a lion at average weights or even at equal weights, Tigers scored higher on HRR than the lion, so this shows that tigers are stronger than lions at the forearms. Overall, the tiger is also stronger, so i would conclude that the Tiger is the stronger cat. Well your 3rd question has no definite answer. Up till now, there is no way to measure an animal's aggressiveness. Aggressiveness is neither a scaler nor a vector quantity and it cannot be calculated through physics or mathematical formula.

Aggressiveness don't depend on the species, subspecies but on individuals, and may even depend on the mood of the animal, and so time to time an animal's aggressiveness is different. So there is no definite answer on who is the most aggressive cat in the Genus Panthera. Hope my information helps, feel free to ask again. ----Raphael Heng QUESTION: hi Raphael, what do you meant by ''HRR''? and if there no way to measure aggressiveness,than why people say that lion is more aggressive than tiger?i just cant believe it. i know you must have answered it before but on average size,weight and aggressiveness,who will win african lion or siberian tiger? thank you. Answer Thanks for the follow-up, Suyash. Sorry for the late reply because i am very busy recently. Anyways, HRR stands for Humerus Radius Ratio. And i have seen people on the net saying that lions are more aggressive, i have also seen people on the net saying Lions have stronger forearms and other untrue advantages. But you must understand that some of these advantages that both feline have are just made up by lion fans and tiger fans.

So i want to advise you to be sceptical about everything you see or hear on the internet, as most of them aren't true. And most big cat experts would say the aggressiveness of an animal depends on the individual, not the species nor subspecies. A wild siberian's tiger current average weight isn't that much heavier than some subspecies of African lions, so the weight advantage of the Siberian tigers over Lions is sometimes greatly exaggerated by Tiger fans. I anwered Lion vs Tiger numerous times before and i would say it is 50/50, it really depends on the individuals fighting. Anyway, i have an account i told another questioner before, i don't know if you are interested but here it is. There was once where i was sent to a Malaysian zoo(i will not specify the name) to be a trainee. And during the time i spent there, there was a transfer of a male African Lion from another Malaysian zoo to the Malaysian zoo i was being posted too. Well, that lion was very aggresive as he was seperated from his mates in the other zoo. He was put in a cage adjecent to a cage of a resident male crossbred Bengal/Indochinese tiger.

This particular male tiger was neutralized a while ago because of his aggresion. In fact, many zoos in the world neutralize their animals to keep the aggression level down. Lions are usually not neutralized because the fur of their mane will drop after being neutralized. As you know, neutralizing an animal makes it the animal safer and less aggressive. So the African Lion kept pacing around the bars that seperated the animal, in an attempt to challenge the tiger. The tiger, being a neutralized animal, did not pay much attention to his new neighbour. The zoo uses switches to open up bars of the enclosure during feeding time and cleaning time. There was once a particular day where a zookeeper accidentaly turned on a wrong switch, during feeding time, and the bars seperating the two animals were opened. The lion ran into the tigerï¿½s enclosure and they started snarling at each other before a fight finally broke out. All the zookeepers panicked and some of them rush to get the fire extinguisher. I was there all along to witness the entire fight. The male crossbred tiger weigh around 450lbs while the lion weighed 500lbs.

The lion was intially more dominant as he was the one who got the advantage of starting the fight, but soon after, the tiger got controlled of the fight and grabbed the lionï¿½s mane and pinned the lion down on the floor with its huge paws. It was obvious that the lion is in great pain as it didnï¿½t move. The zookeepers got back with the fire extinguisher and seperated the animals back into their own enclosures after spraying them with carbon dioxide canister. Both animals were injured, but the lion got more injuries and had a large scar at the side of his face. Anyway, The fight took no more than 5 minutes. Hope my information helps, please feel free to ask again. ----Raphael Heng Raphael Heng Expertise Anything about Big Cats, especially Tigers. You can also ask me any questions or doubts you have about the organisation Save China's Tigers as i am a volunteer there, How the tigers affect the ecosystem in Africa etc. Questions about any feline re-wilding projects could be ask here, eg: Asiatic lion re-wilding. I can answer questions in both Chinese and English, questions on interspecies conflict regarding felines can also be answered.

Experience I am a volunteer of the Charitable Organisation, Save China's Tigers. The Organisation aims to save the South China Tiger via re-wilding training in Africa and releasing captive trained tigers back into the China's wild. Organizations Tigers: roar of big cats, loudest roar, night screamer roar of big cats Expert: Malcolm B. Sullivan - 6/26/2007 Question which big cat has the strongest and the loudest roar? And which has the most less strong or loud roar? Answer Hi, Suyash The loudest roar belongs to the lion, followed closely by the tiger. I think the weakest roar would be that of the leopard, which is the smaller big cat. As a matter of fact, leopards are very quiet animals and they rarely roar at all. Not to say that they donï¿½t roar loudly when angered. Jaguars can be pretty loud too when they want to. Their roar is a series of deep grunting sounds, very different from a lion's or a tiger's, while the leopard's roar sounds like someone sawing through wood.

Cougars cannot roar, but they have a wide variety of very disturbing yowls, growls and screams (in some parts of North America, the cougar is called night screamer or ghost cat because of its voice). if you have more questions feel free to ask Malcolm Lions Roar - Please turn up the volume for this video!! - YouTube Lions Roar - Please turn up the volume for this video!! Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Uploaded on Aug 21, 2011 Please turn up the volume to appreciate these two lions roaring it away!! The lion is the joy and pride of South Africa. Some males exceeding over 250 kg or 550 lb in weight. Lions tend to roar in a very characteristic manner and they most often roar at night. The sound can be heard from a distance of 8 kilometres or 5 miles and is used to advertise the animal's presence. Lions have the loudest roar of any big cat.

A lion's roar can reach 114 decibels at a distance of about 1 meter. This noise is comparable to a Vuvuzela or a not-too-far jet engine and is also louder than a jack hammer. This video was taken at the Emerald Animal Park in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. You can Google me @ FionaPhotoWorld or Wikijunior:Big Cats/Lion - Wikibooks, open books for an open world Wikijunior:Big Cats/Lion This is the latest reviewed version , checked on 13 September 2016. (+) Quality: minimal Jump to: navigation , search Lions are a major symbol of wild Africa. They have been worshipped by African tribes for their strength and beauty. Lions are the only big cats that live in large groups. Also, they have the loudest roar of any cat, which can be heard for up to five miles! Where do lions live?[ edit ] Places where lions live are colored green. Despite the nickname King of the jungle, lions do not live in the jungle. They live in a flat grassy plains called savannas; they usually have a certain place in the savannas where they like to stay.

In ancient times, lions roamed nearly every continent. Today, they can commonly be found across central and southern Africa. There is also a small population in the Gir forest of India on the continent of Asia. Also, most people know lions as "The King of the Beasts" today. What do lions look like?[ edit ] A lioness Lions have tawny, or yellowish brown, fur. They grow to a length of about 10 feet (3 m) and stand about 4 feet (1.2 m) tall. Male lions are larger than the lionesses (females), weighing as much as five men or about 550 lb (250 kg). The more slender lioness usually weighs about as much as two and a half men or 400 lb (180 kg). Adult males can be recognized by the furry mane that runs around the heads and down the neck. For some lions the mane even runs along the belly. There is no other big cat with such a dramatic difference in appearance between males and females. Both lions and lionesses have tufts on the end of their tails, something no other cat has.

If you could touch a male lion's tail, you would feel a sharp bone tucked into the tail tuft. One old legend claims that lions would use the tail spur to whip themselves into a frenzy before fighting. What is a pride?[ edit ] Lions are the most social cats, living in large groups called prides. Prides are made up of one to three related adult males, along with as many as thirty females and cubs. The females are usually closely related to each other, being a large family of sisters and daughters. Lion prides act much like packs of wolves or dogs, animals surprisingly similar to lions (but not other big cats) in behavior, and also very deadly to their prey. The male lion is much stronger than the female. This makes him an able protector, especially when a group of females are hunting and the cubs are at risk of marauders, such as hyenas. Male lions use their muscles and fighting skills to guard the land and keep enemies away. Sometimes those enemies are other lions. In prides, cubs are cared for not just by their mothers but by other adult females, as well. Often, one or two lionesses (female lions) will stay with the cubs while the other females hunt.

If a cub becomes an orphan, it is common for it to be cared for by other females who are related to it, perhaps by a lioness who is an aunt or older sister. According to a study on sciencedirect.com, "male lions were frequent and successful hunters. The main prey species of all male group types, but particularly nonterritorial males, was buffalo. By contrast, females preyed more frequently on the most abundant medium-sized ungulates, such as wildebeest." There are photographs of both male and female lions hunting at . When young male lions reach the age of one year, they are chased from the prides they are born into by the older male lions. If the lead male is elderly, the young male, either alone or with male siblings, will sometimes fight to take over the leadership of the pride. If the young males leave the pride, they become "rogue" males. They travel alone or may partner with other rogues, perhaps brothers. Having a partner makes it easier for a rogue lion to survive and eventually win a pride of his own. These rogue lions are often found scavenging food killed by smaller predators, such as hyenas or jackals, which can be chased away.

Rogue lions hunt for themselves until they are able to take over a pride of their own! What do lions eat, and how do they catch their prey?[ edit ] A lioness tries to move a buffalo Lions eat large prey, such as gazelles, antelopes, zebras, wildebeests, giraffes, and buffalo. They have been known to take down even elephants, but then only with all of the adults of the pride participating in the kill. Even elephants dread lions. When food becomes scarce, lions will hunt smaller prey or sometimes eat the kills of other animals. Most prey animals can run much faster than the average lion. Therefore, lions hunt in fairly well organized groups and stalk, or sneak up on, their prey. They may try to surround them first, then make a swift, sudden charge from the tall grass. The grass where lions live is not short and green but grows very tall and is a light brownish color most of the time. The lions' fur is the same color as this grass, making it difficult for other animals to see them. Coloring that helps to hide an animal or thing is called "camouflage".

Females do most of the hunting and work in groups although, if she has to, a single lioness is able to hunt on her own. Male lions are actually more capable hunters than females but they usually focus more on protecting the pride. Lions might spend hours stalking prey but the actual kill is made in just minutes. After a kill is made, the females let out low roars. This tells the pride to join them for a meal. Adult males eat first, followed by females, and then cubs. To avoid the dangerous heat of the mid-day sun, lions usually hunt at night when the dim light helps to keep them hidden from their prey. Lions have very good night vision so the darkness does not pose a problem for them. Animals that are active at night like lions are called nocturnal creatures. Lions can eat 69kg of meat a day! the 4 bigcat's roar...which is most impressive? in Animal vs Animal Forum My Recent Posts the bold champ wrote: the usual tigerfans displaying their fanaticizm for tigers by saying such things as 'it all depends on the individual' or 'lions roar is the loudest, but i prefer that of a tiger'.

the lion has the loudest roar, which has been measured at 114 decibels, and their voice box, according to some studies, is the largest, in proportional terms, in comparison with any other larger mammal. yes its the loudest because the barbary lions roared for help back in roman collaseum when the Caspian/Bengal tigers were ripping their flesh but however ! yes i agree they are the loudest but not the strongest.. My Recent Posts the usual tigerfans displaying their fanaticizm for tigers by saying such things as 'it all depends on the individual' or 'lions roar is the loudest, but i prefer that of a tiger'. the lion has the loudest roar, which has been measured at 114 decibels, and their voice box, according to some studies, is the largest, in proportional terms, in comparison with any other larger mammal. this topic is not abt which big cat has the loudest roar u retarded chump...this is abt which one is "impressive"...

and that depends one is personal and some ppl like lions,some ppl like tigers...i a tigerfan like lions roar than tigers....some tigerfans like tigers roar....moron's chump displaying his typical sh*theadedness The chilling secret behind the Tiger's almighty roar By ANDREW MORGAN LONDON Friday 19 January 2001 A tiger's roar is so intimidating that it has the power to paralyse animals and humans within earshot - a phenomenon that has, until now, baffled researchers. Scientists at the Fauna Communication Research Institute in North Carolina have discovered that the tiger's secret is its ability to make very low-frequency sounds that any prey will actually feel, in addition to the threatening rumble that is usually the last thing a victim hears. Researchers have been working in the field of bio-acoustics, studying the frequency, pitch, loudness and duration of animal sounds in order to understand animal behavior. They have established that the tiger emits low-pitched "infrasound", a growl so deep that it is inaudible to humans. All big cats have this skill, although to a much lesser extent than the tiger.

Humans can hear frequencies from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz (cycles per second) but tigers, whales, elephants and rhinos can all produce sounds below 20 Hz. The tiger mixes infrasound growls at 18 Hz and below with the roar that we can hear, and the result, according to institute president Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, is that humans can actually feel the tiger roar - a sensation that causes momentary paralysis. "It rattles and shakes people and it's stunning because it happens so fast, just a split second," Dr von Muggenthaler said. "It's an incredible force coming at you. When they roar, tigers often move at great speed from lying down to straight up. "During that time, you never have any thoughts of running away because you're so glued to the moment in time." Tigers do not only use infra-sound literally to scare their prey stiff. It is an invaluable means of communication for them because it can travel long distances. The research will come as no surprise to military scientists, long aware of the potential of infrasound as a weapon. Several devices that can stun advancing troops with a shockwave of low-frequency sound are under development.

The tiger does not only have a unique roar. It is also a surprisingly chatty big cat with an elaborate vocabulary of "vocalisations" that constitute its main means of communication. The scientists say tigers are "remarkably articulate" animals that, in addition to roaring, have a wide variety of special sounds for use with other tigers, such as chuffing - a type of affectionate greeting - growling, hissing, grunting and mewling. In the first study of its kind, Dr von Muggenthaler and her colleagues recorded every growl, hiss, chuff and roar of 24 tigers at the Carnivore Preservation Trust in Pittsboro, North Carolina, and at the Riverbanks Zoological Park in Columbia, South Carolina. Studying the tiger's roar should help its conservation, she said, because tigers were solitary in the wild. Being able to interpret the meaning of the sounds they make will help scientists locate them. TELEGRAPH The Secret Of A Tiger's Roar ScienceDaily (Dec. 29, 2000) - A tiger's intimidating roar has the power to paralyze the animal that hears it and that even includes experienced human trainers.

Elizabeth von Muggenthaler, a bioacoustician from the Fauna Communications Research Institute in North Carolina, presented her research at the Acoustical Society of America meeting in Newport Beach, California on December 7. Bioacoustics is the study of the frequency or pitch, loudness, and duration of animal sounds to learn about an animal's behavior. At the meeting, von Muggenthaler discussed her work analyzing the frequency of tiger sounds to better understand the part of a tiger's roar that we can feel, but can't hear. Why study something that we can't hear? "Humans can only hear some of the sounds that tigers use to communicate," says von Muggenthaler. "Humans can hear frequencies from 20 hertz to 20,000 hertz, but whales, elephants, rhinos, and tigers can produce sounds below 20 hertz." This low-pitched sound, called "infrasound," can travel long distances permeating buildings, cutting through dense forests, and even passing through mountains. The lower the frequency, the farther the distance the sound can travel. Scientists believe that infrasound is the missing link in studying tiger communication.

In the first study of its kind, von Muggenthaler and her colleagues recorded every growl, hiss, chuff, and roar of twenty-four tigers at the Carnivore Preservation Trust in Pittsboro, North Carolina, and the Riverbanks Zoological Park in Columbia, South Carolina. Bioacousticians found that tigers can create sounds at about 18 hertz and when tigers roar they can create frequencies significantly below this. "When a tiger roars-the sound will rattle and paralyze you," says von Muggenthaler. "Although untested, we suspect that this is caused by the low frequencies and loudness of the sound." When the researchers played back a tape of recorded tiger sounds including audible and infrasounds, the tigers appeared to react to these sounds. Sometimes they would roar and leap towards the speakers and sometimes sneak away. The next step for von Muggenthaler is to take the recorded infrasounds to scientists who can determine whether or not tigers can hear the infrasounds. Von Muggenthaler hopes to learn more about tigers, protect them from extinction, and understand the unheard, paralyzing power in their roar.

Scientists working in the field of bio-acoustics are pursuing the theory that the roar of a tiger is its secret weapon. They believe that the growl is so low that we do not hear it but feel it. This infrasound can travel long distances, permeate buildings, cut through dense forests and even pass through mountains, creating a physiological reaction in the human body - fear. This secret weapon is an extraordinary force so potentially lethal that the US Military and space programmes have poured millions of dollars into investigating its power. My Recent Posts arane, i`ve offered sources upon my statements on lion and tiger size?.....just because a few others disagree, does that mean i`m wrong?......no. does that mean they are smarter than me, because they`ve had more hands-on experience?....certainly not. i can make the same studies, and note that i`ve always stated that lions have a muscle mass of about 60%.....and, there are records which prove this! even scientists can make mistakes, and the majorty of them, even though they are quite knowledgeable, often give a certain degree of estimates and such along with factual evidence.

if a certain study suggests that tigers are larger, does that automatically make it so?....no, as there are many more which concludes otherwise, and, whether or not they know of them, they must be taken into account. may we end this disacussion by just saying that tigers o central india and lions of rhodesia, and the serengeti, are, if not equal, quie similar in size? How Do Lions Grab Attention? They Roar Like Babies How Do Lions Grab Attention? They Roar Like Babies By Stephanie Pappas, Live Science Contributor | November 2, 2011 05:19pm ET MORE Lions' vocal cords are adapted to make loud, attention-getting sounds with little effort, according to new research Credit: Peter Barrett , Shutterstock Lions and tigers may have deep, knee-quaking roars, but the sound quality is not so different from the grating cry of a newborn human. Now, a new study finds the specially shaped vocal cords and a layer of soft fat allow big cats to roar loudly with little effort.

"The lion roar is a very strong sound," said study researcher Ingo Titze, the director of the National Center for Voice and Speech at the University of Utah. "It's not very tonal, it's rough and grating. There's a purpose to that — it's attention-getting." Humans have a different vocal-cord anatomy than lions, of course, but their cries are attention-getting too, Titze said. And both babies and lions use their vocal-cord anatomy in their favor to make loud noises without permanently damaging the larynx. Hear me roar In their new research, Titze and his colleagues examined larynxes from three tigers and three lions from zoos, all of which had been euthanized because of old age and illness. [ Gallery: Tiger Species of the World ] Studying animal voice boxes can help researchers understand how the various parts of the human larynx work, Titze said. All mammalian larynxes work in similar ways: Air from the lungs vibrates folds of tissue called vocal folds or vocal cords, producing sound.

But the tissues and shape of the vocal folds differ among species, and understanding how the process works in one animal can help clarify how vocal-fold layers work together in another, Titze said. In the case of the big cats, the researchers wanted to know how the animals form their loud roars, which can reach 114 decibels to someone standing a short distance away, about 25 times as loud as the noise of a gas lawn mower. The scientists dissected the tiger and lion larynxes and subjected the vocal cords to mechanical tests to understand how much strain the tissues could take. "What's peculiar about the lion and tiger vocal folds is that they have a very flat surface on the front," Titze said. "It's almost like two parallel plates." When just a small puff of air is blown between these two plates, vibrations start, Titze said. That's one key to the roar of a lion or tiger : They need very little lung pressure to make large vibrations, which translate to a big sound. The second secret to a big cat's roar is a layer of fat within the vocal folds, where other animals have a ligament.

Fat is squishy, offering more leeway for the vocal cords to vibrate, Titze said. The trade-off is that such floppy vocal cords can't be fine-tuned to the high pitch of a human singer, but for lions and tigers, that's not a big deal. "It doesn't matter so much what the pitch is," Titze said. "What matters is that it's a big sound and it gets people's attention." In contrast, he said, Rocky Mountain elk have larynxes almost the same size as a lion or tiger. But instead of fat, they have a stiff ligament backing up their vocal cords. That ligament can take a lot of tension, allowing the elk to produce a high-pitched bugling sound that seems strange coming from such a large animal. The human voice Babies lack the fatty cushion of a lion's voice box, and their vocal cords are tiny, less than a tenth of an inch (2-3 millimeters) long, Titze said. But while a baby's cry is high-pitched, it is also grating and rough, a call that captures the attention just like a tiger's roar.

"Their vocal cords are about 2 or 3 millimeters long, I mean, very, very tiny, but they vibrate them very, very hard," Titze said. "If an adult were to do that, they would probably injure themselves." Babies keep up their crying marathons thanks to a gel-like layer inside their vocal cords that provides cushioning. They also have a reservoir of cells in their larynx that allows them to repair tissue damage quickly, Titze said. He and his colleagues suspect that the fat cells inside lion and tiger larynxes might contain repair cells as well. Understanding the structure of vocal cords is important for doctors who need to repair damaged larynxes in patients with cancer or other ailments, according to the researchers, who report their work today (Nov. 1) in the journal PLoS ONE . Humans have one of the most complex larynxes of any mammal, Titze said, with a ligament, a gel-like layer and muscle. "Humans are quite complicated with the layered structure because we do so many things with our voices," he said.

"So we're trying to figure out, what is the purpose of this layered structure?" You can follow LiveScience senior writer Stephanie Pappas on Twitter @sipappas . Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook . Editor's Recommendations Cats - Family Felidae: Big Cats Neofelis diardi Borneo and Sumatra For a long time, the Bornean clouded leopard was thought to be identical to the clouded leopards living on mainland Southeast Asia because they look similar, and neither cat roars. These cats are also similar in the respect that both are considered big cats because they have shortened faces and elongated lower canines like the true big cats, even though they both has the body size and shape of a small cat. And, Bornean have the same unique features that clouded leopards have, which distinguish it from other cats, both big and small, and place it in the ame Neofelis genus as the clouded leopard. However, recent genetic analysis has shown the Bornean clouded leopard to a completely separate species of clouded leopard.

Scientists have counted at least 40 key differences in the DNA of the two species of clouded leopard - making them almost as different as a lion is to a tiger. Bornean clouded leopards are the biggest predators on Borneo.ï¿½ï¿½Some grow to be as large as a small jaguar. Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus Africa, Asia Cheetahs are classified as a big cat (roaring cat), but they can't roar. They have a rigid hyoid bone in their throat, so they can purr the same way small cats do. And, they lack the special morphology of the larynx necessary for roaring. Vocalization instead consists of purrs, bleats, barks, growls, hisses and a high pitched chirrup sound. Purring is reserved for family and coalition members, though. Cheetahs are the only big cats that can't fully retract their claws. Their claws are only semi-retractile providing extra traction for running and taking quick turns on the savannah. They also have hard pads on their paws to assist with traction. As a result, they are placed in their own genus - Acinonyx.

Another way cheetahs are different from most other cats is that they are diurnal, which means they are active in the day. Most cats are nocturnal (active at night). Clouded Leopard Neofelis nebulosa Asia The clouded leopard lives in the tropical rainforests of southeast Asia. Its range include China, Nepal, Bhutan, Malaysia and Sumatra. It is a considered big cat because it has a shortened face and elongated lower canines like the true big cats, even though it has the body size and shape of a small cat. Clouded leopards can't roar. They have a rigid hyoid bone (U-shaped bone located near the base of the skull and suspended above the larynx), so they can purr the same way small cats do. They also lack the special morphology of the larynx necessary for roaring. The clouded leopard has an elongated skull that is different from all other cats, placing it in a separate genus - Neofelis, which literally means "new cat". The clouded leopard's teeth are different from other cats, too. Their canines are the largest in relation to their body size of any cat.

And, there is a large gap between the canines and premolars, which enables them to take large bits out of their prey. Their species name nebulosa refers to the cloud-like patterns of their coat. Its genus is considered to be closer to Panthera than Felis. Clouded leopards has relatively short legs and broad paws which make it excellent at climbing trees and creeping through thick forest, but clumsy on the ground. It can climb while hanging upside-down under branches and descend tree trunks head-first. It has have an exceptionally long, thick tail with black ring markings that it uses for balancing. The tail can be as long as the body itself. Another unique feature of the clouded leopard is its oblong pupils that are positioned horizontally unlike the round or linear pupils of other felines. Jaguar Panthera onca North America, South America The Jaguar is the only member of the big cats that lives in the Americas. It is also the largest feline in the Americas. Adult males can reach an overall length of more than 7 feet, and can weigh anywhere from 250 to 400 pounds. Jaguars can roar, but more often, they grunt, snarl, growl and mew.

The name Jaguar comes from the ancient Indian name "yaguar" which meant "the killer which overcomes its prey in a single bound". Jaguars and leopards are often confused with one another because the coats are similar in appearance. But, the jaguar's coat has spots in the centers of the rosettes. A leopard's coat doesn't. Also, jaguars are stockier than leopards. Lion Panthera leo Africa, Asia Lions roars more than any other species, and the roar can mean many things including ways they communicate long distance and as a warning to other lions that they are getting to close to the pride's territory.Roaring grades from a soft "huh" to full-throated roars that could be heard 5 miles away. They'll also moan softly to each other, snarl, hiss, cough, make closed-mouth puffing sounds to greet each other and purr to show contentment. Lions are the most social of any cats (big or small). They live in family groups called a pride, which typically consists of 4-12 related adult females, their young, and 1-6 adult males.

The size of the pride varies and depends on the amount of available prey. Male lions are 20 to 35% larger than the females and 50% heavier. Each pride has a dominant male whose main role is to protect the pride's territory and females from other males. Females do 80%-90% the hunting, and they raise the cubs. Leopard Panthera pardus Africa, Asia The leopard is one of the true big cats. It can roar. Its roar sounds like a person sawing through a very rough piece of wood. Leopards roar to define their territories or signal that they are alarmed. They also purr and meow, but this normally only takes place between mother and cubs. The name leopard comes from the Greek words for lion (leo) and panther (pardos). They are often confused with jaguars and cheetahs in zoos. Leopards are heavier than cheetahs, and their coat has a rosette pattern. Cheetahs have solid round spots.

Jaguars also have a rosette pattern on their coat, but the rosettes have spots in the middle, and they are stockier than both the leopard and cheetah. Snow Leopard Uncia uncia or Panthera uncial Asia Snow leopards are classified as big cats, but they can't roar. They have the same elastic segment in their hyoid bone that lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards have, so they purr the same way big cats do--making a chuffing type of sound only when breathing out (small cats can purr whether breathing in or out). However, due to the under-development of the fibro-elastic tissue that forms part of the vocal apparatus, they can't roar. Even though snow leopards don't roar, they do produce many sounds including chirps and a characteristic loud moan. Although the snow leopard its name with the common leopard, it is not believed to be closely related to the leopard or the other members of the Pantherine group and is classified as the sole member of the genus Uncia uncia. The snow leopard is native to Central Asia from Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, to Lake Baikal and eastern Tibet.

It generally inhabits elevations between 2000-4000 meters although it can occasionally be found at lower altitudes to the north of its range and as high as 5500 meters in Himalayan regions. The snow leopard is crepuscular, which means it's mainly active at dawn and at dusk. It is an opportunistic predator capable of killing prey three times its weight. Typical prey include the blue sheep (bharal) of the Himalaya and Tibet, and the ibex of the Karakorum, Tien Shan, Mongolian and Russian mountain ranges. Small prey such as marmots, pika, hares and game birds probably reduce dependency upon livestock as a source of food. Tiger Panthera tigris Asia The tiger is the largest member of Cats, with males weighing from 400 to 600 lb (180-275 kg) and females 300-350 lb (135-160 kg). Tigers, like lions, leopards and jaguars, roar. Roaring is how they communicate long distance with one another. A tiger's roar can be heard for over 3 km (2 miles).

It will also roar as a warning to keep other tigers away or as an invitation to bring another tiger closer. Loud moans may also be heard in combinations with roars. Soft moans are how mothers gather their cubs and how individuals announce their arrival. Other ways tigers communicate including prusten (a short, noisy, low-intensity sound used as a friendly greeting or a reassuring call),; growls, snarls and hisses (used defensively and aggressively) and other close contact vocalizations including grunting, meowing, purring, and woofing. Big Cats | Mammals | Animals | Eden Channel Eden Channel > Big Cats Big Cats Big cats include lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars and cheetahs, and they are some of the most highly specialised predators in the world! A tiger carrying her cub Classification Family: Felidae Overview Big cat is used to differentiate larger cats, like lions and tigers, from their smaller cousins, like wild cats and domestic cats. Some define big cats as species that can roar or are categorised under the genus Panthera, such as lions , tigers , leopards and jaguars.

However, some also include the cheetah, snow leopard, clouded leopard and cougar. Vocalisation Cats can either roar or purr but they tend not to be able to do both. The four main big cats, the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar, have specially adapted larynxes which enable them to roar; the lion has the longest larynx, which means it can produce by far the loudest roar. Size The tiger is the largest feline in the world. Male tigers can weigh in at a hefty 200-320kg (440-770lb) while females tip the scales at between 120-181 kg (265-400lb). The largest big cat in the world, the magnificent Amur (or Siberian) tiger, weighs the same as one hundred domestic moggies! Cheetahs on the look-out Social The lion is the only big cat that lives in a large group. These prides can consist of up to 40 lions and are mainly made up of females. When a male reaches maturity it tends to move away from the pride and live on its own or in small bachelor groups.

Other big cats, such as the cheetah, tend to live alone, however, they can also be seen together when they need to mate or young brothers can sometimes form a coalition. Quick Facts The cheetah is the fastest land animal and can reach speeds of up to 70 mph. A liger is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger. The offspring of a male tiger and a female lion is known as a tiglon. Physically ligers tend to look more like lions, while larger ligers look more like tigers. Black panthers are just jaguars with genetic melanism making them black. Leopards can drag carcasses that weigh three times their body weight for long distance or up in to a tree. Kimba & Educational Center * Rock Springs, WI 608-524-LION (5466) "Your Donation Makes a Roaring Difference"

Question: Which big cat has the loudest roar
Answer: Lion